Forced air baseboard heater and air duct diffuser

Abstract

An electric heater adapted to be used as a space heater or to be mounted over the discharge end of a hot air duct to diffuse air flowing into a room from the hot air duct and to heat the air in the room. The electric heater includes a housing adapted to be positioned over the discharge end of a hot air duct, the housing including an air outlet opening, and an elongated chamber therein. An elongated heating element is housed in an elongated chamber defined by the housing. An air conduit is also located in the housing and extends parallel to the elongated heating element. Air outlet openings are provided along the length of the air conduit, and a centrifugal fan blows air into the air conduit and this air is forced through the air outlet openings toward the elongated heating element and such that air is directed toward the heating element along a substantial portion of the length of the heating element.

We claim: 
     
       1. A portable electric heater adapted to be mounted over the discharge end of a hot air duct to diffuse air flowing into a room from the hot air duct and to selectively heat the air in the room, the electric heater comprising a housing including a top wall, a bottom and a front wall and adapted to be positioned over the discharge end of the hot air duct, the housing including an elongated air inlet in said bottom, said air inlet being positionable over the discharge end of the hot air duct whereby air from the discharge end of the hot air duct can flow into the housing, and the housing including an air outlet opening, and an elongated chamber therein, said chamber including opposite ends,   an elongated electrical resistance heating element housed in said chamber and extending substantially along the length of said chamber, and   means for forcing air upwardly across said elongated heating element along a substantial portion of the length of said heating element and toward said air outlet opening of said housing, said means for forcing air across said elongated heating element including   means defining an air conduit positioned in said housing in parallel spaced relation from said elongated heating element and extending along the length of said elongated heating element, said air conduit comprising an elongated tube having opposite ends and said elongated tube being positioned adjacent said elongated air inlet of said housing, air outlet means along the length of said elongated tube, said air conduit air outlet means being adjacent said heating element and facing said elongated heating element whereby air flowing through said elongated tube is discharged toward said elongated heating element, and   means for forcing air through said air conduit and through said air outlet means toward said elongated heating element, said means for forcing air through said elongated tube including a centrifugal fan contained in an end of said housing and connected to one of said ends of said elongated tube for forcing air into said elongated tube.